Robert Francis: People used to just release all kinds of foreign birds in the US. Most of em didn't last, but there were a few decades (1850s-1880s+) where you could find clusters of semi-established European Skylarks around Cincinnati and Long Island. Wild times. 🦉

People used to just release all kinds of foreign birds in the US. Most of em didn't last, but there were a few decades (1850s-1880s+) where you could find clusters of semi-established European Skylarks around Cincinnati and Long Island. Wild times. 🦉

There is a small population still going on Vancouver Island

I had no idea - that's fascinating! I did some googling and looks like there are a bunch in Hawaii as well

Just think about how much effort and cost that must have involved in the 1800s.

This reminds me of when I was wondering if sparrows were finches so I looked it up and learned that sparrows were an invasive species in North America and that they kill other birds

we’ve got lots of wonderful native sparrows, too, but damn if the house sparrows don’t blot out the sun there

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